Fantasy Hockey Time

I had my first ever fantasy hockey draft on Wednesday, and I am pleased to report that I did come out of it with at least some of the guys that I originally hoped for (which is more than I can say for my football teams).

I present to you, the roster for the 2008-2009 edition of Sweating Like Soupy:

• My Centers are from three teams that Sabres fans usually hate on principle (though do we really still hate Dallas?): Mike Ribeiro, Scott Gomez, and Mike Fisher. My best friend and I both love Scott Gomez because he scored the game-winning goal during the first hockey game we ever saw on our Senior trip to NYC (The Devils beat the Canadiens), and I have this strange attraction to Mike Fisher, which I know is wrong but, frankly, I don't care.


• Ilya Kovalchuk was my first pick at #10, and I'm very excited that I'm actually getting to see him (and Colby Armstrong) at HSBC on November 7.


• Since I didn't get to pick Goose, I figured I'd pick the guy who robbed him of the Masterton Trophy, Jason Blake (keep your friends close, but your enemies closer...). Really, though, Blake is one of the only Leafs I actually like and respect.


• My goalies are Miikka Kiprusoff from Calgary and Rick DiPietro from the Islanders. I really wanted Marty as my second goalie, but I guess Pretty Ricky will do (at least I have an excuse to look at him).


• The Sabres are represented on my roster with both Jochen Hecht and Jaro "Spacho Man" Spacek figuring to play important roles.


• I got my dream pick (and dream husband-to-be) in Pat Kane. This was by far my happiest pick in the draft.


• Since I figured it would be wrong to neglect my team's namesake, I took Brian Campbell in the 3rd round. Let's hope there's more scoring and less spin-o-ramas this season, or else I will be forced to post this video every week:


• The rest of my roster includes Brian Gionta from NJ, Jay Bouwmeester from Florida, Kris Letang from the Pens, my favorite Canuck, Alex Burrows, and my sleeper pick, Dan Cleary from the Red Wings.


• Finally, Sweating Like Soupy's version of "Mr. Irrelevant" is a man who is always relevant to me (and Sidney Crosby), your favorite Thrasher and mine, Colby Armstrong.

So that's the team. They may not be the best fantasy hockey team ever assembled, but I can honestly say that I know and like (in some cases stronger than others) all of the guys I picked. Does that make me the best drafter? No, but it means I'll have fun watching them this season.

Tonight, I head to HSBC for the first time this year to see our boys take on the Leafs at 7 p.m. It's my cousin's first hockey game, and she could not be more excited. We're going to the Plaza at 5 to check out the Red Carpet, and, while I can't wait to see Goose again, she's hyperventilating at the thought of seeing Derek Roy in person. I'm pretty sure Royzie is the one who came up with this whole Red Carpet idea in the first place.

If anyone's going tonight, we'll be in Section 113, Row 24. Let's Go Buffalo!